Karina is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, so she is the perfect fit to help any new customers for her new company with their Certification and Quality Assurance needs across all of North, Central and South America. Having already worked in the gaming industry for several years, Karina is well connected and experienced in understanding the needs of gaming customers.
Whether those needs are compliance-related or in quality assurance, Moral is ready and able to help. Karina’s enthusiasm for her job and for the people she meets has allowed her to already hit the ground running in her new role with iTech Labs.
Games Magazine Brasil - How was iTech Labs born and what services for the Gaming market does it specialize in?
Karina Moral - iTech Labs was established in 2004, in Melbourne, Australia, by the two founding directors, who had already been working in the online gaming certification space for many years. iTech Labs quickly became a world leading provider and specialist in the testing and certification of online gaming products, for some of the largest gaming companies around the world.
The main categories of services that iTech Labs provides are: certification, quality assurance, and audits. There are several subcategories, within these three, and more information can be found on our website.
What differentiates iTech Labs from its competition worldwide?
The main aspect that differentiates iTech Labs from our competition is that unlike many of the other large test labs, iTech Labs specializes only in the online gaming space, not land-based. This allows us to really focus in on the needs of the online gaming market, which are quite different from those of the land-based gaming market.
In addition, iTech Labs prides itself on delivering a service that is tailored to each customer’s needs. This means that as a company, we place a high priority on delivering projects according to agreed deadlines, as we understand the domino effect that late deliveries can have on an overall product launch and brand image. We also ensure that our customers feel heard and prioritised, as we understand, having worked with many different companies over time, that each company has different priorities and requirements. Another aspect to this is that we test for multiple jurisdictions all at once, to allow our customers to save on both time and money.
The company is strong in Europe, Asia, Australia and it now you target Latinaomerica. What differences do you find in these markets at the regulatory level?
Our certification process is generally the same across different jurisdictions, in that we always perform our certification strictly based on the technical standards of each respective jurisdiction. However, different jurisdictions often have varying specific regulations and technical requirements. Product localization is another aspect that is expected to vary between jurisdictions, including those in LATAM.
What is your role and specific functions within iTech Labs in Latin America?
I joined iTech Labs to expand the LATAM market. I had already worked in the gaming industry, so I feel so familiar working here. I am in charge of the Certification and QA testing sales across all of the Americas, but particularly LATAM. There are many new and exciting markets developing for online gaming in LATAM, so it’s great to be a part of that growth for such an already reputable company.
Regarding regulation and certification, do you see countries that are much more advanced than others in the region?
Currently, in LATAM, we are accredited in Colombia, Argentina (both Buenos Aires Province and Buenos Aires City), and Panama. Within the existing regulated markets, the online gaming industry has grown significantly since the pandemic, with many land-based companies expanding their reach to include online platforms. In addition, there are also countries like Brazil that are in the process of regulating online gaming, so there is a lot of anticipation and excitement as everyone looks forward to those regulated markets opening up.
You have worked in the gaming industry, prior to iTech Labs, Has this accumulated experience from the operator's side helped you to better understand their needs?
Of course, it is a big advantage to have worked in the operator side. Not only because I have many contacts and know lots of people in the industry, but I also have a solid understanding of what they need and the way they work. Everybody has different ways to work, and because of my experience within the industry, I know how to deal with each one.
What does Brazil represent for the company? Where is this giant and growing market placed within the company's plans?
Brazil is a very big upcoming market and everybody is looking at it. Brazil is definitely in our sights, as we eagerly await the news of the online gaming market being regulated. As soon as we are able to, we will begin the process to become an accredited test lab for Brazil, so that we are prepared and ready to assist all the eager operators!
In the meantime, we are networking with potential customers and familiarizing the igaming market with our brand and what we can offer.
Sports betting, online casino, bingo, eSports ... which are the fastest growing modalities that reflect the preferences of your customers?
Well for starters, everything online is absolutely growing. It was growing before the pandemic, but that has only escalated the growth of this market even further. It’s a fantastic time for operators who have not yet explored the igaming market, to expand their online reach.
Source: Exclusive GMB
